Red Wings head to Minnesota without Copp and Rasmussen. Kasper, Compher, Dries may have to step up

The Red Wings practiced at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center today, and then they hopped aboard the new team plane ahead of tomorrow night’s game against the Minnesota Wild (8 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet North/FanDuel SportsNet Wisconsin/97.1 FM).

The Red Wings left for “MSP” without Andrew Copp or Michael Rasmussen, who have “upper-body” injuries (a right arm injury and a head injury, respectively), and as such, coach Todd McLellan discussed the team’s depth at center when he spoke with the media on Monday.

The Free Press’s Helene St. James took note of McLellan’s remarks…

They have Dylan Larkin, J.T. Compher and Joe Veleno, and Monday recalled Sheldon Dries from Grand Rapids.

Another option is Marco Kasper, who is a natural center and played there earlier in the season until McLellan took over as coach and moved Kasper onto the top line with Larkin and Lucas Raymond, where Kasper has thrived. But might it be time to see if Kasper can drive a line of his own again?

“There is that curiosity if he can drive his own line through the middle,” McLellan said. “But we also have to take into consideration where we are and what we’re chasing and what we’re doing, and his effect on two other players who play a ton of minutes and are real good hockey players.”

Kasper has 15 points (eight goals) in his last 17 games, and has added a dimension on the Larkin line with his speed, grit and instincts.

“I really like where he is and what he’s doing right now,” McLellan said. “Larks and Razor, their gas tanks were empty (after the 4 Nations tournament), but that’s not now. They’ve had their rest, they’ll be comfortable. But Kasper has given them some good legs on that line, and we’d like to keep him there.”

So if Kasper remains on the Larkin-Raymond line, that means more ice time for J.T. Compher, as McLellan told MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Continue reading Red Wings head to Minnesota without Copp and Rasmussen. Kasper, Compher, Dries may have to step up

NHL’s DOPS suspends Trevor Zegras for 3 games

Per the NHL:

Ducks’ Zegras Suspended Three Games for Interference

NEW YORK (Feb. 24, 2025) – Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras has been suspended for three games, without pay, for interference against Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen during NHL Game No. 908 in Detroit on Sunday, Feb. 23, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 17:17 of the second period.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Zegras will forfeit $89,843.76. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

For a full explanation of the decision, complete with video, please click on the following link: https://www.nhl.com/video/topic/player-safety/zegras-suspended-three-games-6369275462112.

Allen on the McLellan effect; Raymond, Larkin still surging

Of note from Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen’s “The Daily”:

Detroit is now 16-5-2 under Todd McLellan. Since he took over on Dec. 26, the team is 12-0-1 if it scores first.

McLellan thought both Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin looked a bit weary in Sunday’s game, as a result of their participation in the 4 Nations Face-off.

Raymond is the first Red Wings player to record back-to-back 40-assist seasons since Larkin (from 2017-18-2018-19). Larkin tallied an assist on Alex DeBrincat’s power play goal Sunday, giving him 27 points (12-15-27) in 23 games since McLellan took over.

Larkin (323 career assists) is one assist away from tying Brendan Shanahan (324) for 12th place on Detroit’s all-time list.

Continued; good to know!

Video: coach Todd McLellan speaks with the Wings’ media corps after Monday’s practice

The Red Wings practiced at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center ahead of tomorrow night’s game vs. Minnesota (8 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet North/FanDuel SportsNet Wisconsin/97.1 FM), and they did so without Andrew Copp, Michael Rasmussen, Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.

Larkin and Raymond took “maintenance days” after exhausting their reserves on Saturday and Sunday; coach Todd McLellan told The Athletic’s Max Bultman that Michael Rasmussen was “day-to-day” with his head injury, but Andrew Copp’s shoulder-or-arm-or-wrist injury will require “longer-term” healing.

Here’s coach Todd McLellan’s post-practice presser:

Post-practice Tweets: Coach McLellan says Rasmussen is ‘day-to-day,’ Copp out ‘longer-term’

The Detroit Red Wings practiced on Monday at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center, ahead of a Tuesday rematch with the Minnesota Wild (8 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet North/FanDuel SportsNet Wisconsin/97.1 FM).

Andrew Copp (upper-body injury), Michael Rasmussen (upper-body injury) and both Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin (maintenance days) were absent from Monday’s practice, so the lines were shaken up significantly.

After practice…

SO…

Continue reading Post-practice Tweets: Coach McLellan says Rasmussen is ‘day-to-day,’ Copp out ‘longer-term’

Reminder: Red Wings’ alums to battle United Cerebral Palsy team on March 15th

From the C&G Newspapers’ Scott Bentley:

The annual MI-UCP Skating to Close the Disability Divide charity hockey event with the Detroit Red Wings Alumni team will take place March 15 at St. Mary’s Arena in West Bloomfield.

For the 23rd time, the Red Wings Alumni will face off against the MI-UCP Pucksters, which is a team composed of amateur supporters of the Michigan United Cerebral Palsy organization. The annual sled hockey game between the MI-UCP Sledsters and a sled hockey program representing Belle Tire will also take place during the event, prior to the game between the Red Wings Alumni and the Pucksters.

“We started it in 2000,” said Mike Ward, who is a MI-UCP board member. “We were trying to think of new ways to fundraise.”

According to Ward, he reached out to Dennis Hextall, who was the previous president of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association.

“So I contacted him,” Ward said. “The guys that would play against the Alumni would raise funds to skate against them and get their butts kicked.”

Several years later, the event added a sled hockey exhibition game. According to Ward, the addition of the sled hockey game has been a massive success, with both games included as part of the event for about 15 years. 

“It really changed the event in a big way,” Ward explained. “Once we did that, we were able to expand our fundraising and expand our awareness.”

Continued

Tweets from Monday’s practice: Copp, Rasmussen absent; Larkin, Raymond take ‘maintenance days’

The Detroit Red Wings hit the ice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center just before noon on Monday, the day after the Wings’ 5-4 OT win over the Anaheim Ducks.

Detroit heads to Minnesota to wrap up their season series with the Minnesota Wild (who won a 4-3 OT decision over Detroit on Saturday) tomorrow night.

The Wings recalled Sheldon Dries from Grand Rapids and put Andrew Copp on IR this morning, and we won’t know the status of Michael Rasmussen, who was elbowed in the head by Trevor Zegras yesterday night, until later today.

At least Zegras will have a hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety today.

So:

Meanwhile, in Minneapolis…

Zegras’ hit on Rasmussen may or may not yield a suspension

Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek doesn’t think that the Trevor Zegras hit on Michael Rasmussen was legal, but the NHL’s Department of Player Safety has not made a decision as to whether to give Zegras a hearing or a fine as of yet:

So we wait…